Page 144 of Silenced

“You’re not telling me anything new,” I counter.

Not that he’s to know I just found a logical reason for the murder of adressmakerbecause of my position in Niko’s life…

Having worked in retail, I know it sucks. But working in retail with the Bratva for a boss?

Literal.

Hell.

On.

Earth.

“People think because he’s a mute and is capable of… well, what he’s capable of, that he’s some kind of feral beast,” Dmitri admits, his tone turning earnest. “I used to hear the men talking about him before he became their leader.

“They just wrote me off as a kid of someboyevikso they didn’t watch their words around me and he impressed them then, but they used to think he was weird.” His frown is perturbed. “I’ve never…” In a rush, he blurts, “The only time I’ve ever thought that was when he locked you up in his room.”

“He’s let me out since,” I point out, finding myself in the disturbing position of defending my captor.

Okay, I’m as mind blown as any twenty-first-century woman.

He squeezes my waist where he’s holding me. “If you need to get away, Iwillhelp you. He’s not himself with you. If I need to protect both of you, I will. Do you understand me?”

It takes me a second to realize exactly what he’s offering…

On the surface, it’s freedom.

But, it’s more than that.

He’d potentially damage his relationship with the man he considers his father and he’d hurt Nikolai in the process… to protectme.

To safeguard me from Nikolai.

Whywould he do that? Why would he make such an offer to someone he doesn’t even know?

Studying him, sensing his genuine earnestness, instead of hitting him with a million questions, I rasp, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard a kinder offer, Dmitri. Thank you.”

He blinks. “It’s not about being kind. It’s about doing the right thing. Nikolai’s mother was abused by his father. My own wasn’t much better off. If he’s hurting you—”

I shake my head. “He isn’t.” When he looks concerned for my sanity, I quickly reassure him, “He’s definitely strange. I won’t lie about that.” Then, a smile dances on my lips as I think about the day at the dress store. “But Nikolai has a way of making me feel special.”

His dubious stare remains in full force. “He doesn’t frighten you?”

Because I can tell the answer matters to him, I shrug. “Maybe at first, he did. But not now.”

“Why not?”

My mouth works as I try to figure out how to reply but it’s not easy. Quite fitting seeing as nothing about Nikolai is that.

I settle on: “I’m not sure.” When his expression turns impatient, I pull a face. “I guess I like who I am around him.”

“And who’s that?”

“Just a woman. A woman who isn’t afraid all the time. He doesn’t make me cower. He doesn’t make me feel like I’m a victim. When he looks at me, he just sees…” Cheeks pink, I clear my throat. “Hissolnyshko.I like that. I-I guess I can feel that.”

“What? What do you feel?” he demands, his tone urgent—heneedsto understand. My response matters to him.

“Like I’m his sun.” I breathe the words, feeling them in my soul. “Like he pivots around me.”There. The truth. Nuts but that’s my perception of my situation with Dmitri’s father. “For a woman who dealt with the opposite for over a decade, that’s very empowering.”

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